Storage cabinet



Sheet l of 4 R. G. MARKS STORAGE CABINET March 4, 1969 Filed May l5, 1,967

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E0 45 E5 Q8 P0 United States Patent O 3,431,039 STORAGE CABINET Robert G. Marks, 35 Cottage St., Watertown, Mass. 02172 Filed May 15, 1967, Ser. No. 638,315 U.S. Cl. 312-221 16 Int. Cl. E05c 7/06, 13/04; E05b 65 /46 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Cabinets provided with overhead tracks slidably supporting panels to which objects are attached and which are slidable from storage into exposed positions, with means holding the other panels in storage when one is exposed, with means locking all of the panels within the cabinet.

must be taken to prevent exposed panels from tilting thev cabinet.

An objective of the present invention is to provide a cabinet in which the other panels are held in storage when any one panel is in an exposed position. This objective is attained by providing a locking bar at the rear of the cabinet and rotatable between locking and releasing positions and by providing each panel with rst and second members. The first member is positioned to engage and turn the locking bar into its locking position when a panel is slid towards its exposed position 'and to turn the locking bar back into its releasing position when that panel is returned to its storage position. The first and second members of each panel are located t be engaged, if that panel is in its storage position, by the locking bar when the locking bar is in its locking position and to prevent its turning.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide means whereby a cabinet may be locked to prevent panel exposure without, for example, the necessity of the addition of doors, an objective attained by means of a lock operable to hold the locking bar against turning in response to a pull on any of the panels.

In the accompanying drawings, there is shown an embodiment of the invention illustrative of these and other of its objectives, novel features, and advantages.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a partly sectioned side view of a cabinet in `accordance with the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a front view thereof on a substantially increased scale,

FIGURE 3 is a section, on a further increase of scale, taken approximately along the indicated line 3 3 of FIGURE 2 and showing the details of the bar lock, the bar lock being in its operative or locking position,

FIGURE 4 is a section taken along the indicated line 4 4 of FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 5 is a section taken along the indicated line 5 5 of FIGURE 4,

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 but With the locking bar in its unlocked position,

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary, vertical section showing the locking bar and the locking members with which the panels are provided,

FIGURE 8 is a section taken approximately along the indicated line 8 8 of FIGURE 2 but on an increase in scale,

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FIGURE 9 is a section taken along the indicated line 9 9 of FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary view showing the righthand part of the bar lock as viewed in FIGURE 3 but in its unlocked position.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated by the drawings, corner uprights 20 are interconnected by top and bottom side members 21, intermediate side members 22, top and bottom front members 23, top and bottom rear members 24, and an intermediate rear member 25. The thus established frame is closed by a cover 26, sides 27, a back 28, and a oor 29. The oor 29 is spaced above the lower ends of the uprights 20 with such lower ends constituting supporting legs 20A.

A frame 30, dimensioned to t between the uprights at the sides of the cabinet, is connected to the rear uprights 20 adjacent their upper ends by bolts 31 and to the front uprights 20 adjacent their upper ends by bolts 32. The frame 30 is of such length that while it projects forwardly to a substantial extent, it may be swung downwardly, for convenience in transportation, to be wholly within the cabinet when the bolts 32 are removed, the bolts 31 then serving as pivots.

The frame 30 includes a plurality of centrally slotted channels 33 extending from front-to-rear thereof, see FIGURES 1 and 2. Two sets of rollers 34 are located within each of the channels 33 and each set has a stem 35 extending downwardly therefrom. A pair of hangers 36 are adjustably secured to each stem by a nut 37 and each pair is interconnected through the upper edge of each panel 38 as by bolts 39.

The panels 38 are of the peg-board type to enable Objects of various sizes and shapes to be detachably attached thereto. As the dimensions of the objects to be stored in the cabinet may vary considerably, the spacing of the channels 33 may be varied as desired. In order to close the front of the cabinet, each panel is shown as having a front 40 secured thereto as by flanged braces 41. Each front 40 is shown as dimensioned to have a major portion on the side of its panel to which objects are to be attached, and a minor portion on the opposite side. The margins of each front 40 are bent inwardly slightly towards each other to provide stifening anges 42 which also serve to prevent any possibility of one cover of one panel being engaged by the cover of another panel and thus preventing its complete return into its storage by deflecting the movable panel into its proper path. The floor 29 is shown as having channels 43 slidably confining the lower edge of the panels 38. As will be apparent from FIGURE 2, the panel fronts 40 close the fronts of the cabinet when the panels are all in their position of storage. Each panel front 40 is provided with a handle 44 and it will be noted that the panel fronts 40 are not of the same width, their width being determined by the spacing of the channels 33 and 43.

It will be apparent from FIGURE l that the overhang of the frame 30 permits each panel to be slid outwardly from storage into a position in which all the objects supported thereby are exposed to -be readily accessible. It will be -appreciated that the weight of each panel 38, when a full supply of Objects is attached thereto, may be substantial. To avoid any possibility of the cabinet being tilted by the weight of an article-loaded, exposed panel, means, next to be detailed, are provided to prevent more than one panel 38 from being pulled outwardly at a time.

The panels 38 seat, in storage, against a rubber bumper 45 attached to the intermediate rear member 25 and each is provided with a recess 46 Opening through its rear edge, see FIGURE 7, to receive the generally indicated locking bar 47 having end pivots 48 rotatably supported in bearings 49 mounted on the intermediate side member 22 near their rear ends. The locking bar 47 is shown, see FIGURE 7, as having a at central part 47A and oppositely disposed, right angular flanges 47B and 47C.

A roller 50 is secured as by a mount 51 to the rear bottom edge of each recess 46. When a panel 38 is in its closed or storage position, the roller 50 is rearwardly of the locking bar 47 and in the unlocked position of the locking bar, its central part 47A is vertical and in the path of the rollers 50. When a panel 38 is pulled forwardly towards its exposed position, its roller 50 engages the central part 47A and turns the locking bar 47 through an arc of appoximately 90 with the flange 47B then disposed vertically upwardly and the flange 47C vertically downwardly.

Adjacent the forward end of the upper edge of each recess 46 and fixed to the panel 38 is a depending member generally indicated at 52 and shown as having a vertical forward edge 52A and downwardly and forwardly sloping rear edge 52B and so positioned that when the locking bar 42 is turned into its locking position by a panel 38 being pulled outwardly, the tlange 47B is engageable as a stop by the forward edges 52A and the flange 47C is in the path of the rollers 50 of the other panels.

When a panel 38 is returned to its storage position, its roller 50 engages the flange 47C and turns the locking bar 47 to permit that panel to be seated against the bumper 45.

In order to ensure that the locking bar 47, when turned in one direction or the other, moves all the way into its locking position or its unlocked position, one end of the locking bar 47, see FIGURES 4, 5, and 6, has a rocker, generally indicated at 53, to receive and retain a roller 54 carried at one end of a lever 55 pivotally confined between a pair of guides 56 with a spring 57, anchored as at 5S attached to the lower end of the lever 55. The rocker 53 has a pair of end pockets 53A and 53B, the pocket 53A being lowermost when the locking bar 47 is in its locking position, see FIGURE 5, and the pocket 53B being lowermost when the locking bar 47 is in its unlocked position, see FIGURE 6. Thus, when the locking bar 47 has been partly turned in either direction to a predetermined extent, it is positively turned into the appropriate one of its extreme positions by the spring 57. An auxiliary stop on a rear upright 20 is indicated at 59.

When it is desired to have a lock to prevent any of the panels 38 from being pulled outwardly, thus providing security, the locking means for the locking bar 47 shown in FIGURES 1, 2, 3, and 10 is of advantages.

A handle 60, one that has a built in key-operated lock 61, for example, is mounted in a front upright 20 and is provided with a crank arm 62 pivotally connected to one end of a link 63 whose other end is pivotably connected to one end of a bell crank 64 pivotably connected to a mount 65 on a front corner upright 20. The other end of the bell crank 64 is pivotably connected to a link 66 pivotally connected to the lower end of a lever 67 pivotally attached to a depending mount 68 on an intermediate side member 22. A spring 69 anchored to that side mem- |ber 22 is connected to the link 66. The free end of the lever 67 carries a roller 70 shown in FIGURE 3 as within a cage 71 welded to the locking bar 47 and functioning, in the operative position of the locking bar to turn it into its locking position thereby to lock all the panels 38 against movement to prevent the locking bar 47 from being turned. When the handle 60 is unlocked so that it 4may be turned, its turning swings the lever 67 from its FIGURE 3 position into its FIGURE l0 position and turns the locking bar 47 into its unlocking position and thereby permits the locking bar to turn as a panel is pulled outwardly. The roller 70 is then rearwardly of the cage 71 but operable to enter it thus to turn the locking bar 47 back into its locking position when the handle 60 is turned in the locking direction. It will be noted that this arrangement prevents the locking of the cabinet with a panel 38 partly or wholly exposed.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that cabinets in accordance with the invention are well adapted to meet a wide range of storage requirements. While the cabinets may have fixed positions, it m-ay be desired to move them or to have them capable of being easily moved. To this end, the rear legs 20A may have casters 72 and the bottom front member 23 provided with a central, depending lug 73 to be caught by a. dolly (not shown) which then supports the front of the cabinet. Each leg 20A may, of course, have a caster, if desired.

I claim:

1. In a cabinet, a series of vertically disposed panels, means slidably supporting each of said panels for movement from a position of storage within the cabinet outwardly into an exposed position, and panel locking means including a locking bar extending transversely of the rear of the cabinet and rotatable between locking and releasing positions, and rst and second members carried by each panel, the iirst members being positioned relative to the locking bar to turn said locking bar from its releasing position into its locking position when a panel is slid towards its exposed position and to turn said locking bar into its releasing position when returned to its storage position, the rst and second members being positioned to be engaged by the locking bar in its locking position alternatively on short movement of a locked panel whereby, when one panel is slid into its exposed position, such short movement on the closing of an unlocked panel permitting the locking bar to be turned Aby the tirst member of the unlocked panel without contact with the second member thereof.

2. The cabinet of claim 1 and means to lock the turning of the locking bar against being turned from its locking position thereby to lock all of the panels in their storage position.

3. The cabinet of claim 2 in which the lock means includes a part engageable with the locking bar and is operable to turn it between its releasing and locking positions.

4. The cabinet of claim 2 in which the lock means includes a locking member including a crank and turn table between locking and unlocking positions, a lever and a connection between the crank and the lever operable to swing the lever forwardly and rearwardly, and the locking bar includes first and second arms, the first arm being engageable by the free end of the lever when the lever is forward and the locking bar is in its locking position and the second arm being engageable by the free end of the lever when the lever is in its rearward position and the locking bar is in its releasing position.

5. The cabinet of claim 1 and resilient means assisting the turning of the locking bar when it has been turned in either direction to a predetermined extent.

6. The cabinet of claim 1 in which the locking bar includes a central portion and oppositely disposed flanges, the central portion being disposed close to and in the path of the rst member in the releasing position thereof, the irst and second members being located rearwardly and forwardly of an appropriate one of the anges and engageable therewith in the locking position of the locking bar thereby to prevent its turning into the releasing position thereof.

7. The cabinet of claim 1 and a front on each panel including portions projecting laterally in both directions for approximately abutting relation with other portions in its storage position, the portions including guides inclined towards each other.

8. The cabinet of claim 7 in which the guides are marginal flanges.

9. The cabinet of claim 1 in which there is an overhead frame including channels, each panel is slidably supported in an appropriate one of the channels in their exposed position.

10. The cabinet of claim 9 in which the frame projects a substantial distance from the front of the cabinet.

11. The cabinet of claim 9 and means connecting the frame to the cabinet adjacent both the front and rear thereof, the rear connecting means constituting pivots, and the frame is dimensioned to swing downwardly within the cabinet when the panels and the front connecting means are removed.

12. In a cabinet, frame portions defining an open front, a series of vertically disposed panels, an overhead frame which projects a substantial distance from the front of the cabinet and included channels, and means slidably supporting each of said panels in the appropriate one of said channels from a position of storage within the cabinet outwardly into an exposed position, each panel including a front secured thereto with portions projecting laterally in both directions for approximately abutting relationship with other portions in its storage position.

13. The cabinet of claim 12 in which each front includes guides at its margins inclined inwardly towards each other.

14. The cabinet of claim 13 in which the guides are flanges at the outer edges of each portion.

15. The cabinet of claim 13 in which one side of each References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,719,770 10/1955 Roberts 312-221 2,842,419 7/1958 Howard 312-218 2,848,293 8/1958 Jurgens et al 312-222 2,992,056 7/ 1961 Thielker 312-221 3,199,937 8/ 1965 Mitchell 312-221 3,323,849 6/1967 Stark 312-221 CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 312-218, 319 

